MassDevelopment is actively seeking a developer to redevelop Vicksburg Square at Devens, converting it from a wasting, abandoned resource into some combination of housing and other uses. Special town meetings in Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley may be scheduled soon, at which voters will be asked to approve amendments to the Devens Reuse Plan and zoning bylaws that control Devens development, changes to allow housing as a use for Vicksburg Square and amend or remove the cap allowing a maximum of 282 residential units at Devens.
In November, after MassDevelopment indicated a desire to move forward on Vicksburg Square redevelopment, the Joint Boards of Selectmen appointed a subcommittee to provide community input to MassDevelopment as it drafted a request for proposals (RFP) seeking developers interested in the redevelopment project. After several reviews, the RFP was released in mid-December, with a Feb. 24 deadline for responses. On Jan. 12, MassDevelopment hosted a briefing for prospective respondents and conducted tours of Vicksburg Square buildings. At the briefing, Ed Starzek of MassDevelopment presented an overview including the history and current state of Vicksburg Square. Along with many Devens and town officials, approximately 50 firms attended the briefing, including investment, architecture, and development companies.
At a Jan. 15 JBOS meeting, Harvard Selectman Tim Clark reported on the briefing, saying it was clear in the presentation that it will be the responsibility of the bidder to push the concept through the towns. Further, he said, there was no sale price defined in the RFP and it seemed to be a “best offer” request. Clark said that MassDevelopment is looking for creativity and has no preconceived outcomes, and that “all bets are on the table.” Ayer Selectman Rick Gilles said that “risks are high; knowing they have to go through town meetings, their cost of preparing proposals might be in jeopardy.”
Rich Montuori, MassDevelopment’s executive vice president of Devens operations, had said several times previously that he did not want to go through town meetings for the necessary zoning changes; if the boards of selectmen of the three towns supported the required changes, he said it should be possible to get necessary legislative change without town meeting votes. However, JBOS and Harvard Board of Selectmen Chairman Leo Blair said he could not “envision this without taking it to town meeting; we would definitely take this to the voters.” Gilles said, “That’s true also for Ayer.”
As defined in Chapter 498, which is the 1993 legislation establishing the Devens Regional Enterprise Zone (DREZ), the Devens Reuse Plan, the DREZ zoning bylaws, and the Devens Enterprise Commission, any substantial change in the Reuse Plan or the zoning bylaws “… shall not be effective until the Bank [MassDevelopment] and the Towns, following public hearings, have approved said revision, and all three of the Towns have accepted said revision, pursuant to the procedures described in the preceding paragraph relating to the approval of the Reuse Plan and Bylaws [i.e., simultaneous town meetings of all three towns considering the same question, a so-called Super Town Meeting].”
Apparently now convinced it is a necessary step, Montuori said at a Jan. 22 Vicksburg Square Subcommittee meeting, “I think you should do a Super Town Meeting, so no one can question this.”
Harvard Selectman Peter Warren said that his fellow selectmen are in favor of the zoning change and that “we would be willing to go very fast.”
Montuori asked that the towns conduct simultaneous town meetings within the next 30 days to obtain approval for rezoning Vicksburg Square for residential use and for lifting the 282-unit housing cap. MassDevelopment Chief of Staff Meg Delorier echoed the urgency, saying that “we have had indications from developers that they have no comfort in putting the time and money into developing the proposals if the project isn’t going to move. Time is of the essence.”
Reached by phone this week, Blair said that scheduling town meetings and planning the communication necessary to get support from voters would be the main agenda of the Jan. 29 JBOS meeting.
In other business at the Jan. 15 JBOS meeting, Blair was asked to serve as chairman for another quarter. The chairmanship is normally rotated quarterly and was due to pass to Shirley, but Shirley Selectman Enrico Cappucci said, “My colleagues and I agree that we would be pleased if you [Blair] would continue as chairman for the next quarter.” Blair agreed to continue as chair.
